Commuters returning to work today have seen the cost of their season tickets
rise by an average of £1,300 over the past 10 years, with some fares
increasing by nearly 90 per cent.

Fares have risen 20 per cent faster than salaries over the past decade, according to figures published by the Campaign for Better Transport.

It comes as the latest round of inflation-busting fare rises takes effect today raising the average cost of a season ticket by 4.2 per cent compared with last year.

Some rail passengers will face bigger rises approaching six per cent because of the Government decision to allow train operators to push up the cost on some routes by more, as long as other tickets increase by less than the average.

Many commuters have seen the cost of their season tickets rise by more than 50 per cent over the past decade when, according to official figures, average pay has gone up by 21 per cent.

Commuters in Sevenoaks, Kent have been particularly badly hit with the cost of an annual season ticket increasing from £1,660 in 2003 to £3112 today - a rise of 87 per cent.

“It’s truly shocking that we have deliberately made getting the train to work an extravagance that many struggle to afford. The time has come not just to stop the rises but to reduce fares.”

David Sidebottom, passenger director at Passenger Focus, also called for a better deal for Britain’s commuters.

“Passengers in the UK already pay some of the highest fares in Europe and our most recent passenger survey showed that just 42 per cent of passengers felt they had got value for money on their ticket.”

A spokesperson for the Association of Train Operating Companies sought to defend the industry.

“The average price per journey actually paid by passengers over the last four years has gone up by 8.6 per cent. The overall level of fares is determined by Government policy.”

Norman Baker, the rail minister, defended the Government’s record.

"Family budgets are being squeezed, so that is why this Coalition Government has taken proactive steps to cut the planned fare rises from 3 per cent to 1 per cent above inflation until 2014.

“This decision puts an average of £45 per year back into the pockets of over a quarter of a million annual season ticket holders. Many more holders of weekly and monthly season tickets could also see lower fares and some commuters could be over £100 better off.

“In the longer term we are determined to reduce the cost of running the railways so that we can end the era of above inflation fare rises."